Ball position marker



June 9, 1964 L. s. SCHAPER BALL. POSITION MARKER Filed Nov. 9, 1961 INVENTOR. LLOYD 5. SCHQPEE ATTORNEY United States PatentO 3,136,547 BALL POSITION MARKER Lloyd S. Schaper, New York, N.Y., assiguor to McGregor- Doniger Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 151,223 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-32) My invention relates to a ball position marker and more particularly to a device for releasably holding a marker element in a readily accessible position on the person of a golfer.

As is known, in the game of golf it is customary for the player whose ball lies furthest from the hole to shoot first. When the players have arrived at or in the vicinity of the green and a ball is in the path from the players ball to the hole, a stymie results. That is, the player who is furthest away is required to avoid the ball lying in the path between his ball and the hole. Under the old rules of golf this presented a nearly impossible situation to the player. Owing to this fact the rules Were changed to permit the player whose ball lay in the path of the ball of another player to move his ball so that the player furthest from the hole would have a clear path to the hole. It will readily be apparent that in order that the gamevbe played properly it is necessary that some means be provided for marking the position from which the ball was moved. Obviously, such a marker cannot be of such a configuration that it will block the path from the ball being played to the hole. It must be readily visible. It must not be such that it will easily blow away from the spot in which it has been placed.

I have invented a ball .positionmarker which permits a player to mark the position from which his ball has been moved without interfering with the movement of a ball being played. The marker element is heavy enough to remain in the spot at which it is placed without being anchored. My device-retains the marker element in an easily accessible location on the players body. It is readily removable from and replaceable on the carrier so that it can be used and reused. While being readily removable the marker is at the same time firmly held on the Wearers body so that it cannot accidentally be lost as by being knocked off the carrier and falling in the rough, for example.

One object of my invention is to provide a ball position marker which can be used to mark the place from which a ball was removed while at the same time not interfering with the movement of a ball being played toward the hole.

Another object of my invention is to provide a marker element which stays on the spot at which it is placed without being anchored.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a ball position marker which is simple and inexpensive.

A further object of my invention is to provide a ball position marker in which the marker element is held in an easily accessible location on the players person.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a ball position marker which is readily removable from and replaceable on the carrier on the wearers person.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a ball position marker in which the marker element is firm ly held on the wearers person to avoid the danger of its being accidentally lost.

Other and further objects of my invention will appear from the following description.

In general, my invention contemplates the provision of a ball position marker including a generally flat marker element of magnetic material which is retained in an accessible location on the golfers person by a permanent magnet secured in a recess of a support such as the buckle 3,136,547. Patented June 9, 1964 of the golfers belt. The magnet is mounted with one of its pole faces exposed to receive the flat body of the marker element. A peripheral flange on the marker element surrounds the magnet to prevent the element from slipping off the pole face. At least the portion of the support in the area of the magnet is formed of magnetic material to complete the path for the magnetic flux. The recess and the periphery of the element are so shaped as to permit the element to be readily removed from the support by the player.

In the accompanying drawings which form part of the instant specification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my ballposition marker disposed on the buckle of a golfers belt.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the form of my ball position marker shown in FIGURE 1 of the drawings.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a belt buckle support carrying the magnet of my ball'position marker.

FIGURE 4 is a bottom planview of the marker element of my ball position marker removed from its support.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the marker element of my ball position marker when removed from its support.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in the embodiment of my invention illustrated therein a belt buckle indicated generally by the reference character 10 forms the support for my marker. Buckle 10 is of the 28 between pin 26 and the portion of the belt 12 overlying the back 18. In this manner the belt is securely held on the wearers body. It will readily be understood that the particular form of buckle shown and described is by way of illustration only. Any other suitable support or form of buckle could be used.

I form the front 16 of the buckle 10 from a suitable magnetic material such, for example, as steel and provide the front 16 with a generally circular recess 30. I secure a disk-like permanent magnet 32 in the recess 30 by any suitable means such as by soldering, brazing or welding or the like. It is to be noted that magnet 32 is so oriented that one of its pole faces 34 is flush against the bottom of the recess 30 while its other pole face 36 is exposed.

The marker element 38 of my marking device has a generally flat body and is provided with a peripheral flange 40. I form the marker element 38 from a suitable magnetic material such, for example, as iron or the like. The marker element 38 is adapted to fit over the magnet 32 with the underside of its body in engagement with the pole face 36 and with the peripheral flange 40 extending to the bottom of the recess 30. With the marker element in this position as shown in FIGURE 2, the flux path for the permanent magnet 32 is completed through the body of the marker element 38 through the peripheral flange 40 and back through the magnetic material of the front 16. Owing to the fact that the pole faces 34 and 36 are oriented in the manner described above, the marker element 38 is securely held in position on the buckle 10 by a relatively strong magnetic force. It is to be noted also that the flange 40 not only serves to complete the path for the magnetic flux but also it cooperates with the recess 30 and with the magnet to prevent the marker from slipping off the magnet. I taper the flange 40 inwardly of the marker and provide Q) an outwardly flaring periphery for the recess 30 to permit the element 38 to be readily removed from the magnet 32 when it is to be used.

In use of my ball marking device when a golfer is required to or desires to move his ball so that, he must mark its position the marker 38 is removed from the magnet 32 in an expeditious manner by inserting a thumbnail, for example, between the flange 40 and the edge of the recess 30 and lifting the element off the magnet. While the force with which the magnet holds the marker is relatively strong still the marker'can readily be picked off themagnet in this manner. After being removed from the support in this manner the marker element is placed at the location on the ground at which the ball lay with the flange 40 down. If required it may be pressed into the grass somewhat so as not to interfere with the passage of another ball thereover. It will be appreciated that the marker element is heavy enough that it will not be disturbed by a breeze and generally retains its position without having to be anchored to the ground. After the stymied ball has been played the marker can be removed and replaced on the buckle by simply slipping the element over the magnet 32. It will then be ready for the next use.

It will be seen that I have accomplished the objects of my invention. I have provided a ball position marker which marks the place from which a ball was removed and which does not interfere with movement of aball being played toward the hole. It retainsits position without anchoring.

My marker is simple to use and inexpensive to construct. It is held in an easily accessible location on the players person. The marker element is readily removable from and replaceable on a carrier supported on the wearers person. The marker element, while being readily removable, is held on the carrier securely so that there is little danger of its being accidentally lost.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed with- This is contemplated by and is within the scope of my out reference to other features and subcombinations. claims. It is further obvious that various changes may departing from the spirit of 'my invention.

' limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A ball position marker including in combination a support formed of magnetic material, means for securing said support on the players person in a readily accessible location, said support being formed with a circular recess, a cylindrical permanent magnet secured in said recess and a disk-like marker of magnetic ma terial removably carried by said permanent magnet, said marker element having a peripheral flange adapted to fit around said magnet in said recess.

2. A device as in claim 1 in which said permanent magnet has one pole face directed into said recess and the other pole face directed out of said recess.

3. A ball position marker as in claim 1 in which said recess has an outwardly flared wall and in which said marker element peripheral flange has an inwardly flared wall to permit ready removal of said marker element from said magnet.

4. A ball position marker including in combination a support formed of magnetic material, means for securing saidsupport on the players person in a readily accessible location, said support being formed with a recess, a permanent magnet secured in said recess and a marker of magnetic material removably carried by said permanent magnet, said marker element having a shape corresponding generally to the shape of said magnet, said marker having a depending peripheral flange extending into said recess adjacent said magnet, said flange extending around said magnet in said recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,176,052 Beyer Oct. 17, 1939 2,178,872 Engstrom Nov. 7, 1939 2,910,804 White 'Nov. 3, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 999,770 France Oct, 3, 1951 

1. A BALL POSITION MARKER INCLUDING IN COMBINATION A SUPPORT FORMED OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL, MEANS FOR SECURING SAID SUPPORT ON THE PLAYER''S PERSON IN A READILY ACCESSIBLE LOCATION, SAID SUPPORT BEING FORMED WITH A CIRCULAR RECESS, A CYLINDRICAL PERMANENT MAGNET SECURED IN SAID RECESS AND A DISK-LIKE MARKER OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL REMOVABLY CARRIED BY SAID PERMANENT MAGNET, SAID MARKER ELEMENT HAVING A PERIPHERAL FLANGE ADAPTED TO FIT AROUND SAID MAGNET IN SAID RECESS. 